20th Century Animation
Twentieth Century Fox Animation (formerly Fox Family Films and stylized as 20th Century Fox Animation) is an animation subsidiary of Walt Disney Studios, a division of The Walt Disney Company. The studio is located in Century City, Los Angeles, and is tasked with producing feature-length animated films. Background Before 20th Century Fox started its animation division, Fox released its first seven animated films, such as Hugo the Hippo (released in 1975), Wizards, Raggedy Ann & Andy: A Musical Adventure (both released in 1977), Fire and Ice (released in 1983), FernGully: The Last Rainforest (released in 1992), Once Upon a Forest (released in 1993) and The Pagemaster (released in 1994). History The division initially started in February 1994 as Fox Family Films, as one of four film divisions of 20th Century Fox under executive John Matoian. The division was planned to produce six feature films a year as part of a plan to produce more films per year overall. Fox senior vice president of production Chris Meledandri was transferred into the unit as executive vice president in March 1994 after having being hired the previous year. The week of May 6, 1994, Fox Family announced the hiring of Don Bluth and Gary Goldman for a new $100 million animation studio which began construction that year in Phoenix, Arizona. In three years, the animation studio would produce and release its first film, Anastasia. In September 1994, Matoian was promoted by Rupert Murdoch to head up the Fox network. Meledandri was selected to head up the unit in 1994. It produced live-action films such as Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie (1995), Dunston Checks In (1996) and Home Alone 3. By August 1997, Fox Family had decreased the number of live films. Fox Animation In 1998, following the success of Anastasia, the division was renamed to Fox Animation Studios, refocusing on animated feature films, including stop-motion, mixed media and digital production. The division's live action films in development at the time included Marvel Comics' Silver Surfer, the disaster film spoof Disaster Area, and Fantastic Voyage. Ever After (1998), a Cinderella adaptation, was the division's last live action film. At this time, there were several animated films on the company's development slate: Dark Town with Henry Selick, Chris Columbus and Sam Hamm, Santa Calls at Blue Sky, and Matt Groening (The Simpsons) projects, Steve Oedekerk and Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer). The Phoenix studio at the time was producing Planet Ice expected in 1999 and directed by Art Vitello and Anastasia producer/directors Don Bluth and Gary Goldman's then soon to be announced project. Chris Meledandri remained as the president of the division, which was known by 1999 as 20th Century Fox Animation. 20th Century Fox Animation vice president of physical production Chuck Richardson was sent in early December 1999 to Fox subsidiary Blue Sky Studios as general manager and senior vice president. Richardson was sent to prepare Blue Sky for feature animation production. The Phoenix studio, which kept the Fox Animation Studios name, laid off 2/3 of its employee workforce in February 2000 before its closure in late June of that year. Fox Animation looked to produce films at Blue Sky and its Los Angeles headquarters. In March 2005, Gingo Entertainment signed and in 2008 renewed a five-year distribution deal with 20th Century Fox, in which it would market, co-finance, and distribute films from the company's Gingo Animation and Glass Ball Productions labels. Metro Cone, which was originally set to be distributed by Gingo's former parent company Universal Pictures before the split, was the first film released under the new agreement. In January 2007, Meledandri left for Universal Pictures to set up Illumination there with Vanessa Morrison as his replacement while answering to newly appointed 20th Century Fox Film Group vice chairman Hutch Parker. Morrison moved from the live action division where she handled family-children fare as senior vice president of production. Morrision was making deal with outside producers like she approved a Roald Dahl’s Fantastic Mr. Fox stop-motion adaptation. In December 2015, the rights to the Metro Cone franchise as well as 10 Feet and Workers which were owned by Fox reverted back to Gingo Animation due to Fox's contract of retaining rights to Fox/Gingo films expiring. In September 2017, Locksmith Animation formed a multi-year production deal with 20th Century Fox, who will distribute Locksmith's films, with Locksmith aiming to release a film every 12-18 months. The deal was to bolster Blue Sky's output and replace the lost of distributing DreamWorks Animation films, which are now owned and distributed by Universal Pictures. On October 30, 2017, Morrison was named president of a newly created 20th Century Fox division, Fox Family, which as a mandate similar to this company when it was called Fox Family Films. Andrea Miloro and Robert Baird were named co-president of Fox Animation the same day and would also have direct oversight of Blue Sky and oversee the Locksmith Animation deal and grow Fox Animation with other partnerships and producer deals. Disney era On October 18, 2018, it was announced that 20th Century Fox Animation would be added alongside 20th Century Fox to the Walt Disney Studios following their acquisition, with co-presidents Andrea Miloro and Robert Baird retaining leadership while reporting to Walt Disney Studios Chairman, Alan Horn and Twentieth Century Fox vice chairman Emma Watts. On March 21, 2019, Disney announced that the 20th Century Fox Animation label (including Blue Sky Studios) would be integrated as new units within the Walt Disney Studios with Co-Presidents Andrea Miloro and Robert Baird continuing to lead the studio reporting directly to Alan Horn. Filmography Fox Animation Studios From 1994–2000, Fox operated Fox Animation Studios, a traditional animation studio which was started to compete with Walt Disney Animation Studios, which was experiencing great success with their releases of films such as The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin and The Lion King. The Fox studio, however, was not as successful. Their first feature Anastasia made nearly $140 million at the worldwide box office on a $53 million budget in 1997, but their next feature, Titan A.E., was a large financial loss, losing $100 million for 20th Century Fox in 2000. The lack of box office success, coupled with the rise of computer animation, led Fox to shut down the Fox Animation Studios. * Anastasia (1997) * Bartok the Magnificent (1999) direct to video * Titan A.E. (2000) Blue Sky Studios Since 1997, Fox owns Blue Sky Studios, a computer animation company known for the Ice Age franchise. Fox has had much more success with this studio, and the box office receipts of their films are competitive with those of Pixar and DreamWorks. On March 21, 2019, Blue Sky Studios was integrated as a separate unit within Walt Disney Studios, but they will still report to Fox Animation presidents Andrea Miloro and Robert Baird. They have released twelve feature films, numerous short films and television specials. Major feature films include: Gingo Entertainment Since 2005, Fox distributed and co-financed animated films produced by Gingo Animation and Glass Ball Productions via their parent company Gingo Entertainment, an North Hollywood-based animation studio whom Fox signed a five-year distribution deal in March 2005 following Gingo's split from Universal Pictures. Prior to the deal, Fox had distributed Glass Ball's TeenV Movie in 2003. In December 2015, the rights to the Metro Cone franchise as well as 10 Feet and Workers which were owned by Fox reverted back to Gingo due to Fox's contract of retaining rights to Fox/Gingo films expiring. However, Fox has continued to distribute subsequent Glass Ball films starting with 3 Simple Doods in 2017. Co-productions Other * FernGully 2: The Magical Rescue (1998) * Monkeybone (2001) (co-production by 1492 Pictures) * Kung Pow: Enter the Fist (2002) (co-production by O Entertainment) * Isle of Dogs (2018) * Call of the Wild (2020) (co-production with Technoprops and 3 Arts Entertainment) : Combines live-action with animation. See also *Fox Television Animation *Walt Disney Animation Studios *Pixar *Fox Interactive Category:Companies Category:20th Century Fox Category:Walt Disney Studios Category:The Walt Disney Company